A Second Chance
by Mezmered
Summary: Max goes back to the wreckage site, where Nux made his ultimate sacrifice. When he finds the boy still breathing, he decides to take him back to Capable. Over the course of their journey back to the Citadel, a friendship blossoms between the two opposites, as they realize they have more in common than they think- both two tortured souls, looking for some kind of redemption.
1. Found

**_Hey! I've been in love with the Mad Max franchise for so long, and Fury Road really got me back into it. I'm gonna take a stab at my own fanfic, and hope I don't die trying.  
_** ** _I've been addicted to reviews since 2013. Feed my addiction. More reviews means quicker chapters. More chapters means more reviews. Its a vicious cycle._**

* * *

When he left, he never meant to go back for that pitiful boy. Max is a lone wolf- a survivor, in a world that had gone mad. He'd forgotten what love was, what it felt like. He'd forgotten what it was like to hold his wife and baby boy in his hands, before they were ripped away from him prematurely.

But what he saw with Nux and Capable, it was something different. Two people, who knew nothing about each other, formed a bond from the ashes of nothing, and turned it into something. Something beautiful, yet he would never let himself think the word. Max knew what it was like to lose; he lost more than he gained, for most of his life. It wasn't fair- but he accepted it as the way the world was. In those two, he saw something kind, something harmless, in a world where he thought that wasn't possible. As crazy and psychotic the war boy seemed to be, he was a bit sweet. Even Max recognized it.

* * *

He drives. He drives for miles, on one of the motorcycles Furiosa and the Vuvalini left him. He didn't want to leave the Citadel- Furiosa had created hope for those people, hope that was justified for once. But for a man that's been moving for as long as he could remember, staying in one place for any extended period of time would drive him mad. Furiosa knew it as well- the last smile they shared as he left her life forever was a symbol of forgiveness. A sign that she knew his struggle, a sign that she forgave him for leaving. She hoped he'd be back- and deep down, so did he. Just not yet. Not now.

His eyes begin to tear up from all the dust that was kicked up to his face, and begin to cake itself into his clothing, especially his jacket. He has no idea where he is going- just somewhere where he can find some sort of quiet, before being inevitably drawn into something again.

A silhouette appears before him, and before long, he recognizes it as the canyon that Nux brought down. His heart drops, remembering the young boy's sacrifice he made for the rest of them. He wipes the dust and sand from his dirty face as he drives faster toward the rocky wreckage, and stops a few hundred feet away from the debris. He looks down, contemplating what he's doing. He knows the war boy is dead... he has to be. No one could have survived that crash. He just needs closure- the thought would endlessly tear away at his mind until he finally saw it for himself. He doesn't need any more guilt on his mind. He wasn't doing this for him- he was doing it for Capable. The young girl deserved some sort of happiness, and if he could return that to her, he would.

He grunts a few times to himself, almost arguing to himself against it, and kick starts his disheveled bike. He takes off towards the canyon, knowing all too well what unsavory characters could be awaiting him there. His bike sputters as he stops it again, and he slowly slides off of his bike. He slings his small pack over his shoulder, and keeps a small snub nosed revolver in his right hand. He scales the canyon, trying to carefully venture over the debris. After a few stumbles, and some cuts and potential bruises, he finally makes it. He stands at the top of the crumbled rocky tower, scanning the debris below. He sighs, feeling like he's wasting his time. Parts of tires and jagged metal litter the landscape, and Max almost loses hope of finding any remains at all of the boy. He's come this far out of his way- he's not about to stop now.

The sun in the distance appears that its going to set soon enough. He didn't realize how long he'd been driving for- in the wasteland, he's lost his sense of time when alone. Jumping from rock to rock, he quickly and carefully scales down the rocky crevasse, this time being sure not to stumble or fall. His finger tracing over the hammer to his pistol, as he slowly makes his way to the shell of what used to be the top of the rig. He creeps towards the wreckage, wondering why he's filled with trepidation. Kicking pieces of jagged metal recklessly, he reaches what appears to be a door- at least what remains of it. He lifts it, and covers his mouth from the stench that begins to permeate his nostrils.

A torn apart Rictus, barely even recognizable, lays there covered in his own dried up blood, most of his body torn apart. Max drops the door back on him, not caring to be gentle for him, not even in death. He was the reason Nux was left behind- he's glad that he got what he deserved. Max steps on the door, hearing the crunching of Rictus' dead and brittle bones under his weight. He spots what look like boot prints, and his heart skips a beat. He didn't come here to save him- he came here to find his body. The hope of finding the kid alive makes him travel louder and recklessly. He follows the trail, as he gets to the mass of the wreckage. He notices the large boulders and scraps that shut off the exit out of the canyon, as the footprints he was following lead him to an abrupt stop. A patch of black sand lays where the prints cease. Max grabs a handful of it with his free hand, bringing it up to his nose, smelling its contents. Blood. He knows the smell. He's been around it long enough.

The crashing sound of metal against rock sounds through the canyon, and Max nearly jumps from the sudden noise. Throwing the blood soaked sand, he looks around, his hand tensing around his small gun. Scanning the enclosed terrain, he spots a small hole where the dirt met the rock wall. Smaller than most would notice. However, Max is not most. Knowing very well that buzzards could rip him to shreds if he ventured down into those dark caverns, he walks over, and slides down feet first. He knows he could die at any point in his life. He no longer fears death.

After a few seconds of sliding, his feet hit solid ground. Complete, utter, harrowing darkness. He tries to let his eyes adjust as he steadily walks forward, his free hand out in front of him to stop himself from bumping into anything.

"Bloodbag!" He hears, a sort of loud whisper. Thinking his mind is just playing games with him, he spins around, hoping the voice is real. His eyes have now somewhat adjusted to the darkness, and he spots a chain shine against the small amount of light beaming through the hole he just went through. He drops his gun, hearing a loud clank against a metal floor. Rushing over to the chain, he spots the young war boy, with a beaming, almost childish smile on his face.

"Bloodbag! I knew you'd be back for me. You had to. I know that-" He is silenced by Max's hand roughly grabbing Nux's lower jaw in frustration. Max puts a finger up to his lips, letting the boy know he needs to be quiet. He nods at Max, as the larger man tries to violently open Nux's restraints to no avail. He was cuffed with a pair of police handcuffs to a bar attached to the metal wall behind him. The place looks familiar- like something man made, buried by the apocalypse. Max winces at seeing the site of the cuffs, sending his mind back to his days of being an officer of the law, when he was still a father and a husband.

"You and me both need to get out of here, before they come back." Nux rattles his restraints impatiently. Max doesn't notice how battered the boy is, with wounds littered across his already scarred body. Trying to reach across the floor, grabbing his pistol quickly.

"Cover your ears." Max says to Nux. He does so right in time, as he shoots the weak chain of the cuffs, breaking them apart. Max gets up and makes his way to the exit, stopping after hearing Nux fall to the floor.

"Need some help." He says smiling, belly first on the floor, looking up at the Road Warrior. Max grunts loudly, and quickly grabs Nux's arm, pulling him off the floor. He slings Nux's arm across his back, grabbing the boy's side to give him leverage. Nux winces, and max feels a hot, sticky substance leak onto his hand. He quickly realizes that its blood, and a lot of it.

"Sorry." He whispers, finding a better place to position his arm. Right when they get walking together, their bodies tangled together awkwardly.

"Bloodbag?" Nux asks quietly, almost sounding defeated. Only a few more steps to go, and the boy would be out of his life soon enough.

"Mmm?" Max makes a gruff noise, informing him that he's listening.

"Thanks for coming back for me."

Max nods, his grip on the boy becoming gentle.

* * *

 _ **Hey, so that was it! I made it a bit short, as its kind of a test to see what does and doesn't work. If you don't like the present tense style, let me know. It just didn't feel right to write it in the past tense for a story with this much narration. Anyway, please review! Remember, reviews are liquid crack to us writers.**_


	2. Dead Again

**_Thanks for the wonderful reviews! Hope you enjoy this next chapter._**

* * *

Almost there. Max breathes a sigh a of relief, finally realizing the two would be out of this darkness in a few more steps. Darkness never did well for Max- his mind liked to play tricks on him when his senses were dulled.

The two both hear a rustle somewhere behind them, a disturbance certainly not welcome. They reach the hole in the ceiling, a few beams on light leaking through, signaling the end of daylight, and the start of dusk.

"We need to go." Nux whispers, spotting a growing number of moving shadows in the endless darkness.

Max leans Nux against the wall next to the both of them, and gets on a knee. He locks his fingers together, nodding at Nux. He takes the hint, placing his boot upon Max's locked fingers. He boosts Nux up, and hears his struggling to reach the surface. He hears Nux signal that he's okay, and Max breathes a sigh of relief.

Max attempts to stand up and follow after Nux, before feeling a sudden tug on his ankle. He slides back, slamming his face on the cold floor. Feeling his gun slide out of his belt, he scrapes across the ground trying to reach for it.

He hears a shrill, shrieking noise, as a heavily clothed, stinking, animalistic type of human jumps on him. Max struggles against his weight, as he hears his opponent scream in a language he doesn't understand. He stretches his arm out for his revolver a few inches from reach, before another humanoid appears out of nowhere, stomping on Max's wrist.

He screams at the pain, and looks up, recognizes them now. Buzzards. The lowest common denominator of the wasteland.

"Fuck!" Max yells, trying desperately to break free. His resistance proved to be futile, however, as he soon took a rugged boot to the head, and knocked out unconscious.

* * *

He was so close. So close to getting the boy back. He just wanted to do something good for someone. Nothing ever worked out for him, when he tries to do a good deed on his own volition.

He slowly tries to open his eyes, his mouth completely dried out. His forehead is throbbing, and his right eye is closed shut, from his own blood drying around it. This reminds him of the time he was held captive by the War Boys- and he doesn't like it.

Trying to move his arms, he notices his wrists are wrapped with metal wire around a pipe behind him. The wire is digging into his wrists, and he can feel that he's bleeding.

His vision is blurred, and he can't make out the figure moving toward him. He shuts his eyes, and pretends to be unconscious. It makes its way to him, and begins to slowly unwrap his restraints. Max waits patiently, until he knows that he's free.

He kicks the ankles out from under his captor, and jumps onto his back. He wraps his arm around his throat, pulling tightly.

"B-bloodbag!" He hears, through struggling breaths. Max doesn't relent- he doesn't believe what he hears.

"It's me!" Nux tries to reason with Max, but he's too far gone now. He's angry, and he's gone off the deep end. Max continues to choke him, up until a few seconds before the point of no return.

"Nux?" He asks, releasing him suddenly. The frail boy scrambles out from under him, gasping for breath. He presses his back against the nearest wall, his hands on his neck.

Max eyes him up and down with his one functioning eye, and looks away.

"I'm sorry kid." He says quietly, angry that he let himself lose control like that.

Nux nods, still shaken. He looks afraid, but he thinks he understands. He rubs his neck a bit, before standing up quickly. There's no time to wait around for pleasantries.

"We have to go. They'll be coming back soon." Nux tosses Max his revolver that he lost before. He holds back a smile, noticing that it's been cleaned off, as he stuffs it in his jacket pocket. Nux extends his hand to Max, and he takes it quickly. Max gets to his feet, and Nux eyes his face.

"Gotta get that pretty face cleaned up, Bloodbag." Nux smiles at him, before leading the way out. Max never understood it. He nearly killed the boy, and previously nearly blew his arm off, and beat him numerous times. Yet, he still remained the sweet boy he was at heart. Max couldn't understand how so much good could exist in such a tortured soul.

He wanted to tell Nux his real name- he truly did, he just didn't want to get attached to anyone. He knew nothing good ever lasted now, and he didn't want to get used to it..

He follows Nux through the dark underground halls, assuming he knew where he was going. He leads him through winding halls, and as his eyes adjust, he notices the series of dilapidated chairs and rooms. Max remembers this as an airport, buried by the sand of the new world over the years. His heart sinks, remembering how the old world used to be.

Max, suddenly startled, heard Nux let out a scream, as a lone buzzard leaped onto him, seemingly out of nowhere. Max's heartbeat begins to rise, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Bloodbag!" Nux yelled, as the boy struggled against the Buzzard. Max dove on to the Buzzard, ripping him off of Nux. Before it could do anything, he began to slam it's head into the metal floor. He punched and smashed his victim's head into the ground, his hands soon becoming covered in blood. The would-be attacker soon went limp, and stopped struggling against him, yet Max still keeps pounding away.

Max felt someone grab his arm, and looked up to see Nux. He laid his hand on Max's shoulder, looking him in the eye. Nux doesn't look afraid- just, disappointed. He knew how crazy Max could get, he just couldn't imagine he had this much anger bottled up.

"You did him good. That's enough." Nux whispered quietly.

Somehow, Nux's youthful expression calms him down. He doesn't like to be touched by people, but this time, it's fine. He nods at Nux, and wipes his blood hands and knuckles on his pants.

Nux grabs Max's arm and pulls him up off the ground. "You're alright now."

He nods, and they make their way toward the exit, this time quieter and carefully.

* * *

Nux helps pull Max through the hole that led them there, and they both wince at the sunlight. Before Nux can collect himself, Max pushes him against one of the walls of the canyon, pressing his forearm across his chest and throat. He makes sure Nux isn't in pain, he just tries to make a firm point, like grabbing a dog by its scruff.

"Why did you come back for me?" Max says through his teeth. It hurts him to do this, but he knows it's for the best.

"Because-" Nux mutters, grabbing onto Max's arm, being lifted off the ground by him.

"You could've died... again." Max didn't risk his life for Nux to get killed. He's mad, and frustrated, yet he appreciates that Nux came back for him. He still grits his teeth, unable to form proper words.

"Because- you're my friend."

A friend. Max hadn't had one of those for as long as he could remember. He forgot the word ever existed, until the former War Boy had said it.

"Right Bloodbag?" Nux tries to smile against Max's grip, and doesn't resist. Max loosens his grip against the frail boy, and gently leans him against the wall he was being held against a few seconds ago.

After a few seconds of extremely uncomfortable silence, Max speaks again. "I'm sorry." Max sits next to Nux, burying his face in his hands. "Next time, you keep moving." He looks over at him, and extends a hand. Nux takes it, gripping Max's semi gloved hand tightly. Max looks down and notices he's still bleeding slightly.

"How long was I gone for?" He asks, rubbing his eye, still swollen shut

"Few hours. We got to get going, night isn't a good time to be 'round here." Nux tries to stand up, but drops back down, gripping onto his wound.

"Lets go. I'll give that a look." Max picks Nux up, his left arm under his back, his right arm under his legs.

"I can walk for myself Bloodbag." Nux says, sounding a bit frustrated.

"No, you can't." Max doesn't enjoy carrying someone very much, but he knows Nux shouldn't be putting anymore weight on his wound. He's been through enough, so far.

The two make their way over the mass of rocks and metal, and Max is somewhat glad to see his bike is still there.

* * *

"Hold still." Max grunts, trying his best to be gentle on Nux's wound. He used to be good at this, as a former cop. But he hasn't touched anybody for so long- he's somewhat forgotten what being gentle meant.

He's stopped bleeding for the most part, he notices, as he pours the last of his water over it. He takes out a mostly clean piece of surgical cloth, something the Vuvalini had left him. He wraps it around Nux's bare torso, as the boy winces a bit.

The rests of the cuts and bruises on his body are superficial, and they both know it.

"Good?" Max asks, standing up

Nux nods up at him. Max doesn't help him up this time- he needs to learn on his own. He watches as the boy slowly and painstakingly gets up against his bike, finally stands fully.

"Here." Max throws a ragged shirt at him, and gleefully catches it. Max sees it as a piece of scrapped clothing that Nux can cover himself with. The war boy sees it as a gift, and smiles because of it. He slowly puts it on, his wound sending waves of pain across his side with each movement. It fits him, and Nux smiles. His smile. It hurts Max to see it. He doesn't see how Nux can be so damn cheerful.

"On the bike, I'm bringing you back." Max grunts, walking over, saddling up over his makeshift motorcycle.

"You sure Bloodbag? Nasty characters roam 'round here at night." Nux gets on the back of his bike, gripping onto his seat below him. "And back to where?"

"The Citadel. And I'll take my chances." Max kick starts his bike, and takes off. He wants to wait, his gut tells him to. But, he doesn't want to stay any longer with the boy. Max is slowly forming a bond with him, during the short time they've spent together, and he doesn't like it. Max isn't going to be staying at the Citadel, and Nux knows it as well.

"I'm gettin' tired of calling you Bloodbag, you got yourself a name?" Nux says, over the roar of the engine.

He hesitates, and grips his fists on the handles of his bike.

"Max." Max didn't want him to know, but he didn't find it fair to not tell him. The boy saved him, whether he liked to admit it or not. It was the least he could do.

"Max, huh? Nice to finally meet you!" The boy says loudly, gripping on to the back of his shoulder. Max lets him.

Max finally has a friend. And for once, he's okay with it.


	3. No Promises

_**This is becoming my favorite fanfic I've written so far. Stay tuned, and please review, it really does help.**_

* * *

They'd been driving for a while now, and he didn't realize how far away the Citadel. It was almost a day and a half's drive away from the canyon.

Over the course of the drive, Nux wrapped his arms around Max's waist, growing tired of holding onto the cold metal at the back of the bike. His head rests on Max's back, as Nux is sound asleep. Must've been exhausted to be able to fall asleep on the back of such a loud vehicle.

Max doesn't mind, however. He rejected it at first, but soon realized this was the last physical contact he was going to be having for a while. Max looks overhead, noticing the dark sky, lacking any visible stars. He frowns a bit, missing the sight that used to relax him.

All of this is incredibly cathartic for Max- he isn't used to experiencing so many emotions in such a short period of time. To think he was reduced to a feral beast a few weeks ago, now he's forming a bond with someone he wanted dead not too long ago.

Max's eyes slowly drift closed after some time, due to a lack of sleep, and being out in the dark landscape. The cool air feels pleasant across his face, and he takes this moment to relax. He forgets where he is, yet still maintains control of the bike.

Not too long to go now- a day of driving, and they'd be there, back at the citadel. He'd bring Nux back to Capable, and he could do one more good deed, before settling into inevitable isolation again.

His eyes closed, Max doesn't notice the few cars coming towards them in the distance. He can't hear their engines over the roar of his own bike, as he finally gets settles into sort of relaxation.

Max feels Nux rustle awake, and Max's eyes shoot open. He can feel Nux grab tightly around his torso, and before he can even think, he feels himself flung from his bike, rolling along the rough sand beneath him. His face scrapes upon the rocks and grains of sand, as he can hear the sound of his bike being destroyed. Nux grunts loudly, being flung from Max a good distance away.

A piece of stray metal flies across Max's face, leaving a deep cut at the side of his cheek. His ears are ringing, and his head is pounding. A car smashed into the side of his bike, and he can tell from all the debris left over from the collision.

"Max!" He can hear, and he looks over to see Nux violently thrashing against two men attempting to restrain him. One has a bright pink Mohawk, the other with a shaved head and thick beard. There are two cars parked, one hood slightly damaged from the collision.

Max pulls his revolver out of his jacket pocket, and points it toward the other two men coming toward him. His finger squeezes the trigger, and he hears a single click.

 _Jammed. Fuck._

He braces as the two men tackle him back to the ground, one grabbing his arms, the other grabbing his ankles. They lift him off the ground, and he struggles furiously against the two of them. He cranes his head to see Nux continue to struggle against his captors, shortly before being bashed over the skull with the butt of a rifle. This only makes Max angrier.

He kicks his captor holding onto his legs in the chin, and slides out of reach. He begins to run toward the now unconscious Nux, until he hears a loud, sudden gunshot, and stops short. He feels his side, gripping his hand into his newly made wound. He looks at his hand, now covered in his own blood. He takes a look at Nux, then feels himself faint, his head slamming into the coarse ground in front of him.

* * *

"Hey, Bloodbag." Max wakes up to Nux holding the side of his head. Max's head is spinning, and he feels a sharp pain in his side. He couldn't stand the nickname Nux had given him at first, but now he's grown quite fond of it, now that Nux knows his real name.

"I'm awake kid." Max looks around, and sees the two of them are being held in some sort of cage. They're in what resembles to be a makeshift prison cell, with other empty cells adjacent to them. The small room full of cells is dimly lit, with one hallway leading into it.

"The fuck are we?" Max asks, feeling his still wounded hip. He notices his jacket is gone, and this makes him upset.

"Beats me. I woke up in here, same as you." Nux looks at the placement of Max's hand. "I took a look at that. You got lucky, bullet went right through."

Max nods at Nux, and leans his shoulder on his. "You're a good kid. I'm gettin' you back, one way or another." Max says, noticing his now growing beard. Nux smiles brightly at his comment, acting as if Max's approval was one of the greatest things he's heard.

Max tries to stand up and stretch his legs, and as he tries to get his footing, he falls down hard on his side. Nux rushes over to him, resting his hands on Max's shoulders.

"Easy there. Don't wanna get yourself worked up too quickly." Nux grabs under Max's arm, and helps him to his feet. Normally Max wouldn't accept the help, but he swallows his pride just this one time, and reluctantly leans against him to stand up. He knows he can't make his wound any worse than it already is. It's stopped bleeding, but any sudden movement could cause it to start up again.

Just as Nux leans Max against the wall of their cell again, they hear a loud clang echo through the dimly lit room. The man with the Mohawk walks through the hallway towards them, a manic smile appearing on his face. He's wearing Max's jacket. This makes Max even angrier.

"You boys like it here?" He asks casually, his smile still beaming. His teeth are unusually white- probably fake.

"That's mine." Max points at his jacket, now being donned by the crazed man standing outside of their cell."

"I know. Looks better on me, don't you think?" He obnoxiously walks in a circle, sarcastically showing off his new piece of clothing. He soon walks back to their cell, pressing his face up to the bars.

"I See you're a man of few words, I like that. And the baldy over there, I'm sure he's just happy to be here." He says sarcastically. Nux lets out a chuckle, and Max quickly elbows him in the side, causing him to stop. Max couldn't understand how the boy found humor in just about everything.

The unnamed man, growing impatient, begins to jingle his keys in his left hand out of habit. "Usually people I bring down here are screaming to be let go by now. You two are different. He stares them down, and, realizing he isn't getting a response, he continues his monologue.

"I'm the boss man round' here. Kept you two alive cause I thought I could have some fun with you, but I'm guessin' that's not gonna happen." His thick Australian accent is hard to understand, even for Max.

"That boy you got there, he's kind of cute, ain't he?" The borderline psychotic man runs his hands through his Mohawk, sticking his arms through the bars of their cell. Max extends a hand to cover Nux's stomach, and pulls him behind him.

"Easy there, I ain't a queer." His eyes light up, as if he reached some sort of a realization. "I fucking rhymed right there, I did. I, Nitro, am truly an intellectual, don't you think?" He's getting on Max's nerves- he speaks an awful lot.

Just as he tries to pull his arms out of the cell, he realizes the shoulder pad of the jacket is stuck on a piece of jagged metal, holding a few bars together. His psychotic smile turns into a cowardly look of pure surprise, realizing what he's gotten himself into. Max takes the chance he's been given, and sprints to the side of the cage Nitro is stuck in.

He pulls his arms back in fully, wrapping his right arm around Nitro's neck. Max drops his weight down, crushing Nitro's throat against the bar. Max still holds onto his neck, making sure he'd done him in. He struggles against Max's weight, but his neck soon goes limp in his arms.

Nux stands back, his back pressed against the wall, and his mouth wide open. Max leans against the cage in exhaustion, as he just used up the last of the energy he had.

"I'm sorry you had to see tha-" Max says, painstakingly standing himself up. Just as he tries to finish his sentence, Nux rushes over to him, a wide grin on his face.

"That was shine Max!" He says triumphantly. He wraps his arms around Max's broad back going in for a hug, and Max freezes up for a second. Instead of pushing him off like he normally would, he awkwardly pats Nux's back with one hand.

Nux lets go of Max, and breaks away, quickly getting on a knee, stretching his slender arm through the bars the grab the small loop of keys, now on the ground. He unlocks their cell door, and swings the heavy door open.

Max flips the now dead Nitro over, and takes his jacket off of him. He puts it on, and sighs in relief. He didn't feel right without that article of clothing- it had slowly become a part of him over time.

Nux puts the keys he found in his pocket, and goes through Nitro's pockets, grabbing anything he could find. He tosses Max's revolver over to him, and stuffs a small knife he found in his own belt. Max opens the chamber of his gun, cleaning out the sand that caused it to jam in the first place.

He notices the handle has been painted purple- probably the work of Nitro. This annoys him, as Nux had just previously cleaned his gun, as a sort of gift for Max.

"Now to get out of here." Nux says, almost a loud whisper. Max follows behind him, hoping the war boy knows where he's going.

The hallways are dark and damp, making it an unpleasant experience to traverse the passageways. Through sheer luck, they reach what appears to be a makeshift elevator, a crank inside of it used to lift and lower it. Nux faces Max, a look of worry on his face. Max walks about to the boy, and grabs the back of Nux's neck, pulling him close to his face.

Nux's heartbeat jumps, feeling Max's breath on his face. "Keep quiet, and do what I say." Max says firmly. There's no time to be 'nice', and they both know it. Nux takes the hint, and doesn't hold it against Max. He slowly lets go of his neck, and the two make their way into the elevator. Max grabs the elevator crank, and looks at Nux.

"We're gonna be fine, I promise." Max tries to force a smile at Nux. Nux smiles back at him, as they clasp their hands together for a few moments.

These could very well be their last moments alive together.

"Nux, if I fall behind, don't come back for me." Max whispers, looking at the ground.

"No promises Bloodbag." Nux whispers back.

Max smiles.


	4. Comforting the Numb

**_Thanks to all my reviewers and readers, I very much appreciate it. Remember- more reviews means quicker chapters._** **_Sometimes I might switch off between tenses- it's not a mistake, sometimes it's necessary. This one was a bit short, as school has my time greatly restricted for writing._**

* * *

The elevator platform slowly and painstakingly rises as Max turns the crank to lift it. Nux stands to the side, not wanting to interfere with him.

Nux slips his newly acquired knife out of his belt. He toys with the sharp tip of it, accidentally cutting the tip of his forefinger. He let's out a noise of surprise, and Max looks back at him.

Nux awkwardly smiles, holding up his now bleeding the finger to Max. Max shakes his head in slight annoyance, and gets back to the task at hand.

"Should be almost there now." Max mutters, almost out out of breath. Nux isn't sure how he knows, but he trusts him.

"Does Capable know you came for me?" Nux blurts out, scratching at the hem of his shirt.

"No." He says simply. Max doesn't have time for talk right now- he's more concerned in getting the two of them out alive.

He grunts as the lift finally reaches its destination. It's one long, almost completely dark hall, dimly illuminated by some damaged and dying battery powered lanterns.

Max presses Nux up against a wall suddenly, and speaks sternly to him.

"Do you trust me?" He asks, gripping the boy's sleeve. Nux eyes him strangely and nods.

"Then do exactly as I say." Max releases Nux, then puts his finger up to his lips, signaling to be quiet.

The pair slowly make their way down the hall, wondering why there's nobody there to stop them.

There are rows of cells to their left and right, and Nux stops to look into one particular cage, housing an almost middle aged, ragged man.

He hears them, and bolts up, an incredibly amount of energy for his age. He presses his face up to the bars, gripping onto them tightly. His thick beard and full head of hair are almost impressive- he looks too lively to be a prisoner in a wasteland.

"Name's Ryland. Saw those fuckers bring you in. Break me out, I'll lead you out of here." He smiles awkwardly, trying to seem the least bit trustworthy. His strong American accent catches them both off guard, something they don't hear very often.

The ragged man rubs the hem of his tattered shirt, standing to his full height. He's much taller than both of them, yet it doesn't intimidate either of them.

"No." Max grabs Nux's arm, yet Nux shoves him off almost immediately.

"We can't just leave him here. He can help." Nux takes out the keys from his belt, before Max stubbornly snatched them from his hand.

The two share an uncomfortable long glance, before Max breaks the silence.

"I came back for you. We leave him." The Road Warrior said the statement so coldly, even Nux was surprised to hear it. Nux hangs back, not following after Max.

"We're taking him with us, or I'm not going with you Bloodbag." Max stops in his steps, and curses under his breath. Feeling as if he's almost dealing with a child, he turns around and throws the keys at Nux's chest.

They drop into his hands, as he quickly fumbles to unlock the cell. Ryland eagerly waits, and swings the door open triumphantly.

Max, without a thought in his mind, pulls out his gun, point it to his chest. "You try anything, I kill you." He nods slowly, looking down at Max.

"Anything you say, pretty boy. Lets get us out of here."

* * *

After going down endless passageways, they stop short outside of a large steel door. They can hear some curses, yelling and pounding from inside the room, setting all three of them on edge.

"Hear that? They have fights sometimes, they do betting on it. All the fuckers are in there, the rest are out on supply runs. Don't know how you want to handle it." Ryland's eyes are bright with excitement- he speaks too much and too fast, quickly annoying Max.

Nux smiles at the middle-aged man, almost admiring him for his tenacity in a situation like this.

Max rubs his own beard, and looks to the door for a few seconds. "You go first." He whispers, looking at Ryland.

Logan, clearly scared now, stammers trying to reason with him. "Listen pal, I go in there now, I'll be meat, you understand? They see I got out, they'll-" He's cut off by Max cocking the hammer back on his revolver.

Max would never normally do this, but he isn't about to risk himself or Nux, when neither could survive without the other.

"Right... I get it. If I die, I'm going to kick your fuckin' ass in the afterlife." Logan gets up, his large stature now clearly visible. Walking toward the door, he turns the handle, pushing it open.

He takes a look back at his two liberators, and smiles a strange, childish smile, and walks out. The yelling and pounding stop, as they can hear Logan enter the room. Logan slams the door shut quickly, trying to buy them some time.

"Sure does cuss a lot." Nux says quietly. Max simply nods. The two huddle close to the door, pressing their ears and listening.

"What's he doin' out?" One man yells. Max listens closely, trying to see how many there could be.

"Listen boys, can't we just work this ou-" Logan is audibly cut off, being knocked in the face with something blunt.

Nux winces at the sound, and puts his hands on the door to go after him. Max holds him back, waiting for the opportune moment.

"Nice hit baldy-" Ryland is cut off again, this time, audibly being knocked out. Max, his gun in hand, nods at Nux. The War Boy pulls out his large knife, and together, they swing the door open.

Too focused on the now unconscious Ryland, their captors don't notice them enter the room.

Amounting at around eight men, Max shot two of them, before being pinned against a wall by the bearded man he remembered so clearly.

Nux pounced on one, stabbing him in the gut quickly, before being put into a choke hold by another. He bit down on his arm quickly, breaking free.

Nux slashes his knife across another one's chest, resulting in his victim falling to the ground in agony.

While Nux held off the remaining three men, Max struggled against his captor's grip. The man's breath was putrid and smelled of guzzolene.

His gun still in hand, he twists his wrist downward, shooting him in the shoulder.

"Bastard!" He yelled, gripping onto the bullet in his shoulder. Max quickly kicks him off, aiming his gun at the group of men focused on Nux. Nux has his knife in one of them, while Max shoots the remaining two quickly.

Sliding his knife out, his hands covered in blood, Nux falls against the wall behind him, covering his face.

The bearded man tries to crawl away, before Max stomps on his shoulder, holding him in place. Max kicks him over, so that he's now on his back. He points his gun at his head, one last bullet in his chamber.

"The fuck are you?" He asks, wincing under Max's boot.

"I don't know." He answers honestly. Max fires off his last shot, the bullet going straight through his eye. He slides his gun back into his pocket, and walks over to Nux, the War Boy shivering against the dirty concrete wall.

On his way, he feels Ryland's pulse, and notices his pulse still eagerly beating. He steps over him, making his way to Nux.

He looks down at the young boy, covered in the blood of the few people he'd just killed. "It gets easier." Max says, getting on a knee and laying his hand on Nux's shoulder. Max wasn't good at comforting people, but he understood what Nux was feeling, and wanted to help him. That's what friends do for each other.

Nux lifts his face out of his hands, both now coated in blood. His face showed an expression of pure guilt. Shooting someone was easy- one shot, and it's over. Stabbing someone, however, is far more intimate, and they both knew it.

A few tears fell from Nux's eyes, before he fell into Max, sobbing into his shoulder. He gripped his slender fingers into the back on Max's jacket, almost as if he were holding on for dear life.

Max wrapped an arm around Nux, gently holding his neck with the other. "It's alright." Max whispers simply, looking at the dirty concrete wall behind Nux.

After a few more minutes of Nux soaking the shoulder of Max's jacket, he slowly brings his head up, wiping the rest of his tears.

"Don't tell Capable about this." Nux says through an awkward chuckle, looking away from Max.

Max nods, smiling at him.

"You'll be alright Kid."


	5. Of Lost and Longing

__**Its been over a year since I last updated this. Lets get back in to the swing of things.  
**__ _ _ **PM me any ideas or anything you want to happen in the next chapters of the fanfic.**__

* * *

¨What if he survived the crash? What if... what if he's still out there? I can't stand staying here not knowing what happened to him! It's not fair!" Capable had tears streaming down her pale cheeks, her eyes glazed over and pleading, visibly showing her immense grief over losing him. She hadn't forgotten about Nux; she cherished the last moments they had together, all the way up until he was gone.

The Imperator grabbed Capable by her shoulders, holding her firmly. "Capable... as much as it pains me to say, he's gone. He was sick- he didn't have much time left anyway." Furiosa sounded callused, as if she didn't care. She realized she had spoken far too harshly as she saw Capable's reaction to her words, and decided to soften up. She opened her mouth to speak again, but was interrupted before she could let a word out.

"I don't care that he was a war boy! I don't care that he was dying, and I don't care that he may be gone. I just miss him. The short time I had with him were the most pure moments of my entire life. For once, a man treated me like I meant something, like I was worth something. I was just a whore! He made me feel different, different from what I was told to be."

¨Don´t you ever call yourself that word ever again, Capable.¨Furiosa stroked her cheek, and wiped a few tears away from Capable's face. "It'll be okay, Capable. I know what it feels like to have lost. I lost all of my fellow Vuvalini on the war rig. They were my family, my friends, and the only people that I belonged with, that gave me any sort or sense of purpose. It hurts, but we just have to keep on keeping on, no matter what. Nux adored you, Capable. He wouldn't want you hung up on him. He'd want you to be strong for him. Be strong for me, for everyone else."

Capable nodded. She took a deep breath and tried to regain her composure, and tightly hugged Furiosa. She gave up trying to put up a brave face, and cried into her chest. Furiosa wrapped her arm around the heartbroken girl, her other metal arm resting at her side. Furiosa closed her eyes, letting Capable expel her emotions- at least for the moment. Capable wasn't the only one that had felt longing.

There wasn't a day that went by that Furiosa hadn't thought about Max, the lone wolf that had saved her and the people of the crumbling citadel. She could just faintly remember the last words that Max shared with her.

¨Max. My name is Max.¨

She longed to have Max back and for him to have stayed with them. Furiosa was so strong for so many people- Max was one of the few that she felt she could have been potentially vulnerable with, to let her guard down. She hadn't known him for long, but he saved them so many times. He was trustworthy and dependable. That was all Furiosa could ask for in someone.

But she was the leader of her own people. They looked up to her; she couldn't show any kind of weakness. Not now, at least.

Capable sighed and wiped the tears from her face. She looked up and Furiosa and nodded, turning away suddenly and walking out of Furiosa´s room. Furiosa thought of Nux, and she thought of Max. She wished the road warrior had stayed, she wished that they could have grown closer. The pair had been through so much, it felt like a part of her was missing now that Max was gone.

Max was a wild thing, though. And God knows, you can't tame a wild thing.

* * *

¨Wake up, Max. You've been sleeping all morning.¨ Furiosa whispered into his ear, pressing a kiss on his cheek. He looked up at her, a confused but eager smile on his face. He placed a rough hand on her cheek, and sighed. She leaned over and kissed him, straddling his lap. Furiosa kissed her fingers then placed them on Maxs lips.

¨Goodbye.¨And with that, Furiosa got off of him, and walked quickly with a strong sense of urgency as she left their secluded bedroom. She took one last glance at him as she walked away.

¨Fury!¨ He called out, as he hopped out of bed, running after her. He sensed the urgency in her step; Max had felt that something was surely wrong. She emerged into a crowd into the Citadel, pushing her way through bustling people, packed together into a human wall. They seemed to part for Furiosa easily, but the same couldn't be said for Max.

Max tried to catch up with her, but couldn't. For every step he managed to make, Furiosa seemed to take two. He continued to call her name, feeling a growing sense of anxiety and trepidation. He couldn't lose her again. Not now, Not ever.

After what felt like an eternity, she was almost out of sight. Flashes of Max's previous family flashed into his mind, like a disease slowly reemerging. She glanced at him as she reached the gates of the Citadel, giving him a cold stare without any emotion. With that, she left the gates of the Citadel.

The Road Warrior knocked people over, sprinting toward the gate. He finally emerged from the crowd, but he was too late. Furiosa was gone. There was no sign of her leaving, not even remnants of her tracks. She simply vanished. In the distance, he saw her silhouette slowly vanish into nothing.

Max ran out into the wasteland, looking for her. He called out her name as loud as he could, straining his vocal chords, completely losing his voice. Coarse sand and dirt was getting caked into his boots and jacket as he trudged across the barren desert. Max saw a body, but not in the condition he had hoped.

He finally found her, a bullet hole in her forehead. Her body was splayed out over a rock, blood soaking her once beautiful face. He grabbed her, holding her in his arms. He sobbed, pressing his face into her neck, incapable of believing what he was seeing.

¨Fury!¨ He screamed, as he rocked her back and forth in his arms, filled with grief and confusion. ¨It's just... unfair.¨ Max whispered to himself. ¨I was meant to protect you, why couldn't it have been me!¨ He held her lifeless body for what seemed to be an eternity, before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He wiped the tears from his face, and turned around to see Capable. She rested her hands on both of his cheeks and smiled.

¨Find him for me, Max. Find him for me.¨

* * *

Max awoke in a cold sweat, rolling out of his cot and letting out a deafening scream. Ryland and Nux were both caught off guard. It was the middle of the night- Nux and Ryland were sitting around a fire and commiserating, having some small talk. Nux immediately rushed over to Max, grabbing him by his jacket, while Ryland stayed back and eyed the pair.¨

¨It's just a dream, Max. It's just a dream. You have plenty of time to lose your mind, just not now, alright?¨ Nux´s seemingly always charismatic disposition seemed to calm Max. He nodded and sat up, while Ryland watched the two in slight confusion.

¨That one always talk in his sleep? Could make a fucking novel with the amount of drabble he spouts in an hour.¨ Ryland was eating a can of dog food, and there was a half eaten can next to him which belonged to Nux. The can read ¨Dinki Di.¨

Max shrugged and got up, walking over to the fire. He grabbed an unopened can, inspecting it before cracking open the lid with his knife. He took his sand covered fingers and ate a handful, showing no signs of discomfort. Ryland moved over to Max and draped an arm around him, smiling like an idiot.

¨You can eat that so easily? I swear, took me months to get used to this slop. Feel like its not even good enough for dogs.¨ Max wasn't amused, as he swatted Ryland´s arm away from his shoulder. Ryland got the hint, and eased off a bit.

After the group´s previous confrontation, they had stolen a car and raided their food cellar. The trio had ventured out into the wasteland, driving as fast and as far as possible before setting up a temporary camp. They had a way to go, but it was surely possible.

The three gathered around the fire, shooting the breeze as tensions eased up. Nux remained silent, and for once, Max spoke up. ¨What's your story, Ryland? How´d you end up in that cell?¨ Ryland grinned widely at the question. The large man loved to speak; was a slight egomaniac. He was strong and fearless, though. That was exactly what they needed.

¨My story? Well... where to begin! Maxie, I was born to a heroin addicted mother, and a father that I never met. Don't care about the bastard anyway. All that shit is in the past. Before the world went to shit, my mum used to whore herself out to be able to by smack. Me, well, being the independent contractor I am, looked to find another place to live. Didn't want to live with a whore of a mother and I didn't want to be around her clients either. Moved out, robbed a fine young gent who had a bad habit of leaving his door unlocked, and got an apartment with the money. It is that simple, really.¨

Nux had his mouth opened in awe at the man´s story- Nux wasn't old enough to remember the old world. He didn't even know what heroin was, but he wanted to know more. Max, on the other hand, just wanted to try to become better with people. It wasn't his strong suit which was incredibly clear.

¨Started doing underground boxing and fighting, lost a few teeth, and knocked out too many people to count. I did that until the world went to shit, until the world became filled with fire and blood. Now I'm stuck here with you fine young men, trying to survive.¨

¨What about Nitro? How did he catch you?¨

Ryland hesitated before speaking. ¨Well... it's quite, quite embarrassing, if I do say so myself. I found his fortress, thought I could provide a valuable asset to him, since I was on the verge of starving to death. He let me in, and everything worked out quite well, actually. I worked in his labor division, and in return, he gave me protection and food. Nitro liked me, for some strange reason. He was a strange, strange man, but he helped me out. Quid Pro Quo? That's the saying? Well, Nitro had some sort of girlfriend, and-¨

¨I see where this is going...¨ Nux laughed. Ryland wasn't very amused, and opened his mouth to protest. Even Max smiled.

¨No, no, wasn't like that at all! She came into my room in the middle of the night. The girl came onto me! Jumped on me in my sleep, straddled me, and before I knew what was going on, Nitro busts in. His girl says I raped her, and I ended up in my ´predicament´. So that, my dear compatriots, is the story of how Ryland the Great was turned to Ryland the useless prisoner. Not anymore, though! The three of us, we are going somewhere! Going to turn this wasteland in to our own sandy playground. Ain't that right, Maxie?¨Ryland extended his hand to Max.

¨Whatever you say.¨ Max shook his hand. Nux smiled widely, glad that Max was finally lightening up.

Max ate the rest of his food, and threw it aside. ¨Used to have a family once. Beautiful wife, beautiful child. Got taken away from me when all this happened, the fire and blood that took over the world, like you said. It's hard. But I'm not ready to die. Not yet. Got to get this kid back to where he belongs.¨ He said, pointing at Nux.

Ryland slowly clapped his hands sarcastically. ¨Look at Max the martyr! Doesn't care if he lives or dies, all that bullshit. Let me tell you, friend, that whole shtick? It gets old after a while. Doesn't it get tiring moping about the past, Maxie?¨

¨When you see your wife and child killed right in front of you, it isn't easy. Ryland, if you want to keep your teeth, I think you should stop judging me.¨ Nux glared at Ryland as well, backing Max up. Ryland awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, inching back slowly. ¨Well... I do sincerely apologize, then. Seems my American manners truly don't coincide with yours.¨ Ryland had an unorthodox way of speaking; he sounded intelligent and stupid at the same time.

Max grunted, kicking an empty can and walked off alone without a word.

Ryland got up to follow after him, but Nux stopped Ryland. ¨Max wanders off sometimes. Just something he does, he always comes back.¨

¨Sounds like you´re talking about a dog, not a person." There was an awkward silence, before Ryland decided to break it.

¨Say, kid, why did he save you? What´s your history with the guy?¨

¨Well...¨ Nux wanted to condense the long story into a somewhat brief summary. ¨We used to hate one another. We were on opposite factions, fighting one another. Then one day, I realized my place was with him and his people. We were a small group, but we were close. Then, I was separated after I crashed my vehicle. He came back to find me when no one else would. Saved me from the buzzards, he did. I don't know why he stuck his neck out for me. He's my friend, but, he has a strange way of showing it.¨

¨Got this girl too, someone I think of every day. I´ll see her again, when Max takes me back. We will make it back, won´t we Ryland?¨ Nux had a hopeful gleam in his eyes. He truly believed that they had a good chance of making it back to the citadel in one piece. Ryland shook his head, however.

¨Fuck no, Nux. Its three of us. We barely made it out of that prison alive. Use that scrawny head of yours.¨ Nux frowned and slumped his shoulders. Ryland walked over to him and wrapped an arm around Nux.

¨Listen pal, it won't be easy, and we are probably going to get eaten by buzzards, enslaved by warboys, or killed by scavengers. But that's the fun in it. Every second alive is a second won. And if we get back to your ´so called citadel´, then we'd have one. Don't sweat it kid. When you wake up, everything is going to be fine.¨ Nux smiled, comforted by Ryland´s words. Ryland was a burly individual, and kind of an asshole, but he seemed to be a decent enough fellow.

Max suddenly came back, a small smile on his face. He had a few lizards hanging from his belt, and Nux and Ryland jumped up in excitement.

¨Seems Maxie is good for something, eh? Finally, something other than dog food!¨ Ryland said, as he took the lizards and took out his knife, eager to prepare their meal. Nux sat next to Ryland, watching him work, his eyes going wide in awe. Nux had never seen real cooking before- even if it was just a few simple lizards on an even more primitive fire.

Max simply watched without a word. Watching the camaraderie between Nux and Ryland put a small smirk on his face. He had given up hope on the good of humanity so many times before; moments like these, so pure and so kind continued to reignite his hope. Nux and Ryland were both troubled, they both made their mistakes, but they still seemed to have some shred of humanity left. A part of Max longed for that feeling.

¨I´ll be fine one day. Just one day, no matter how long it takes.¨ Max whispered to himself, as he stood back from the fire, watching Nux and Ryland have the time of their lives.


	6. RedeMption

_**Good to see you again. Reviews are appreciated, as always.**_

* * *

Furiosa leaned on her balcony, watching over her people below. They looked healthy and happy for once, a great improvement over the time they were ruled over by Immortan Joe. Times were difficult, and they sometimes went hungry, but everyone was always taken care of at one point or another. They all seemed to be happy- they all seemed to be content with what they had. That was what made Furiosa even more guilty. Everything was decent enough, but she was never truly happy with it.

She had every resource at her disposal, and had the most power out of anyone at the citadel. Yet, something was missing. The Imperator never got a moments rest; she was either dealing with scavengers trying to attack or rob her people, dealing with civil disputes, or working on making sure her people were taken care of. This was the life she wanted for the people of the citadel, but it wasn't the life she wanted for herself. She wanted to just be happy- it seemed that being happy was always going to be secondary in her life, though.

A single and heartfelt tear fell down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away, hating herself for succumbing to her emotions.

¨Furiosa?¨ A voice called from behind her. She cursed under her breath, quickly composed herself and turned around, straightening her back.

She was relieved to see who it was. ¨Toast. Anything wrong?¨

Toast cocked an eyebrow curiously before she answered.¨No. But the rest of us, we're worried about you. You never get a chance to rest or enjoy yourself. I see you up here all the time, and we all wonder why you seek solitude. Just make sure that you don´t suffer needlessly. We are all here for you, alright? Its going to-¨ Toast was cut off as Furiosa promptly interrupted her.

Furiosa briskly walked over to Toast. ¨I appreciate the sentiment, I really do. But I know our situation, I know what has to be done. Alright? Now, go take care of the girls. See if they need anything.¨ Toast opened her mouth to protest, but Furiosa put a finger up to her lips.

¨If you're offering help, I don't need it.¨

¨I was just going to ask... Do you think Max will ever come back? He was a cute one, wasn't he?¨

Furiosa was visibly caught off guard by the question, uncharacteristically stuttering before responding. ¨I... I don't know. A part of me hopes so, but I know he is never going to _feel_ at home. If he wanted to belong somewhere, he would have stayed with us. That being said, our doors will always be open to him.¨ Furiosa's voice broke up toward the end of her sentence, and she turned around and hurried back to her balcony.

She waved Toast away. ¨Go, take care of the others.¨

Toast wanted to help Furiosa and comfort her, but she did need to be alone for the time being.

¨What happened? She going insane in there?¨ The Dag was waiting for Toast outside of Furiosa´s quarters. Toast shook her head, sighing. ¨Same as always. Woman is so stubborn, her pride is going to break her back eventually. Come on, lets get out of here.¨

"You ask her about Max?"

Toast nodded. "Yeah. Same answer, as always."

* * *

The three had been driving for a while, making sure to wake up early to get a head start. Ryland sat in the back of their stolen convertible, while Nux rode shotgun, leaning his hand out of the car, feeling the wind hit his fingers. Max drove, staring straight ahead. Ryland eagerly snored in the back, while Nux was talking a mile a minute.

¨Will you stay with us? When we get back there?¨ Nux had a different tone in his voice. He sounded genuinely concerned, and wanted a genuine answer. Max cleared his throat, seemingly apprehensive. Every hard question felt like an interrogation to him.

¨I dont know, Nux. I dont know.¨ Max answered simply. Nux wasnt satisfied with his answer, though.

¨What do you mean? Bloodbag, you're going to die out here eventually! You wont stay young and strong forever. You can stay with us, you can finally settle down.¨ Max shook his head as Nux spoke. It pained him to listen to Nux's protests, but he had obviously made up his mind a while ago.

¨Kid. I gave you my answer. I wont lie to you, I just don't know. You and the big guy, you two have hope. You two have potential. Me... I'm just a raggedy man. I don't belong no where. Now, eyes ahead Nux. Ryland is dead asleep, I need you to lookout around the car." Max dodged the conversation by giving Nux an order. He knew the kid would listen to him and get the hint.

Nux slumped in his seat, like a spoiled child who didn't get what he wanted. He listened to Max, though, and sat up in his seat, looking around. All he saw was barren, orange wasteland for miles. The last remnants of civilization that Nux never got to see was destroyed and covered by sand and rocks. This was Nux's home- it didn't hurt him to see it, but it hurt Max beyond belief.

Ryland's snored in the back seat, completely unaware of their conversation. The noises emanating from his nostrils blended in with the sound of the roaring V8 engine.

Strange, strange how the three were brought together. Max, the cynical road warrior, Nux, the young and energetic war boy, and Ryland, the jaded, damn near gigantic man. Max _almost_ regretted coming back for Nux. Max realized how much he craved human interaction and how much humanity he had left in himself. Nux reminded Max of his former partner and best friend from years ago, named Goose. Goose was burned to near death by an old enemy of Max. He never forgot the image of Goose covered in third degree burns. That was the beginning of the end of his faith in humanity.

Max loved and missed Jim Goose, his old and loyal companion. He didnt know what happened to goose after the world ended- if he survived his burns and was taken care of in the hospital, or if he perished with the majority of humanity. Max never went back for Goose, and maybe, just maybe, that was why he went back for Nux. He had a silent hope that he could forgive himself. The silent hope that he would be forgiven. The old words of Goose echoed in the back of Max's mind often.

Max missed his family, and he missed his friend. He couldn't have saved either of them. He would save Nux. For his family, and for Goose. His old partner would be proud, at least he hoped so.

The world never lasted long to begin with. In time, economic collapse destabilized entire cities. That touched off a bloody civil war over resources, leaving only disorganized bands of scavengers willing to kill to survive. Max was one of those scavengers, whether he liked to admit it or not. He was aware of the fact most of the time, though.

Nux was thinking about Capable. He had never showed Max, as he was afraid of potentially looking weak, but he kept a few strands of her crimson hair in his pocket. He always wanted to have her with him, even when the two were apart.

¨You ever love someone Max?¨ Nux asked, as he put his hand in his pocket, feeling the few crimson strands of hair.

Max hesitated. It was a loaded question with a quite obvious answer. ¨I did, once. Had a wife, child and best friend. Light of my life. Loved em more than anything, Nux. They meant the entire world to me.¨ Max spoke quietly, as Nux could barely hear him over the roar of the engine. Nux nodded in response, though.

¨Whatever that is, I think I felt it. Back on the war rig. We didn't know each other long, though. Were me and her just kidding ourselves?¨

Max shook his head in response. ¨Course not. If you feel it, it is what it is. If you say you love her, I'll believe you. Its not up to me to judge, Nux. You're grown enough to come to your own conclusions.¨

Nux smiled, content with his response. ¨You'll be alright, kid. You won't need me after I get you back.¨ Max added on a few last words

There was a strange silence left between the three of them. The car was deafeningly loud, yet everything seemed to be silent. Everything seemed to be okay for the moment- for once, maybe things would be alright. Things had turned up for the two- they made an ally and friend, and had a damn good chance of getting back home.

But they always had a long string of bad luck. Why would that change now?

Ryland woke up, letting out a loud yawn. He sat up in his seat and stretched his muscled arms out, patting Max and Nux on the back to greet them. He stared out of the car, and squinted his eyes as he thought he had seen something.

¨That just me? Or is that fuckin truck coming straight for us? Right there, Maxie.¨ Ryland pointed eastward, and Max nodded. If the truck was friend or foe, they didn't know. Max knew better than to be naive. Sand and dust was getting kicked up in the distance by the truck, and the sound of yelling could be heard. A bullet went right past Max´s head, making his ears ring. The bullet got lodged in the side of his door. Max was absolutely brilliant in the heat of the moment. He winced for a split second, but immediately regained his composure.

Nux was no stranger to battle, and neither was Ryland. They all luckily kept their heads. Max whipped the car around, and turned the head of the car toward their pursuers. He gripped the steering wheel white-knuckle-tight.

¨Both of you, hold on.¨ Max said calmly. Ryland pulled Nux by his forearm and yanked him in to the back seat, handing him a pistol. Max floored the gas, and the other truck didn't show a sign of stopping. A classic game of chicken, and there was no way Max was losing. As the two vehicles got closer and closer, the shouts and cries could be heard more clearly from the other car. Nux and Ryland had their necks and heads covered with their hands. When the distance began to be closed off, Max stuck a bullet cartridge on the accelerator and jumped into the backseat with Ryland and Nux. He covered Nux´s body with his own as the two cars collided.

Everything seemed to slow down during the impact. Ryland was launched from the car and landed hard on his back, knocked temporarily unconscious once again. He was splayed out across a rough patch of rock and sand, but his chest was still moving up and down as he breathed heavily. The big guy had a borderline iron skeleton.

Max and Nux were flung from the car in this same rough fashion. Max held onto Nux as they fell, landing hard, while Max absorbed most of the impact. Max heard a loud ringing in his ears, slipping his head around to see what had happened. He tried standing up, but collapsed for some reason unbeknownst to him. He felt a warmth ooze from his leg, and he hoped he wasn't injured.

Nux was visibly unharmed, and quickly stood over Max, shouting at him. He kneeled next to Max and held his jaw, stopping him from swallowing his own tongue. The impact was so bad that Max almost choked on it. There was a small piece of glass lodged in to his cheek that Nux pulled out quickly.

Max didn't hear anything, though. He simply looked upward, his pupils quickly dilating. The few passengers from the other car were set ablaze due to the enormous gasoline canisters being held on their car. Two of them were maimed and sliced up from the collision, and one was limping around, screaming in pain as he was burned alive. The view gave Max a horrible sense of terror, reminding him of Goose.

Max looked down at his leg, a piece of rusted, jagged metal completely piercing through his left calf. The large piece of shrapnel luckily missed bone, but it was still excruciating. He was unable to put any weight on his leg since he muscle was completely torn apart.

Ryland staggered as he stood up, his forehead leaking blood, but still managed to stumble over to Max. Nux and Ryland exchanged a few panicked words before they picked Max up and carried him. Ryland had immense strength even when injured, and Nux was in a relatively stable condition.

¨Stop... you two, you go on-¨ Max tried to whisper. Nux shook his head in response.

¨You came back for me, bloodbag. We aint leaving you here.¨ Nux had visible tears streaming down from his face as he looked at how bad Max looked, the strong and stalwart War Boy being reduced to pure emotion. Ryland didn't say a word, uncharacteristic of his boisterous personality.

As they walked across the barren sand, they saw that they weren't far from the citadel at all. In the distance was a vague silhouette of their destination. Max smiled. Max finally accomplished his goal.

At that moment, whether or not he died didnt matter to him. He got Nux back.

´Goose would be proud´, he thought, as he passed out from blood loss. He had a smile on his unconscious face, a smile not seen for so long.

Things would be okay. Not great, but not bad either. Just okay. And that would be good enough.

That's all they could hope for.

Max felt so lost and experienced so much longing.

Finally, some sort of relief.


End file.
